Superheated-steam throttle valve



' Feb. 16 1926.

A. w; BRUCE SUPERHEATED STEAM THROTTLE VALVE 3 Sheets-sheaf 1 4 Filed April 25', 192:

Feb. 16 1926.

A. W. BRUCE SUPERHEATED STEAM THROTTLE VALVE 3 Sheets-:Sheet 2 Filed April 25, 1923 FIG. 3?

a "a E N W Feb. 16 ,.192s.- v 1,573,540

' W'. BRUCE j SUPERHEATED STEAMYTHROTTLE VALVE Filed April 25, 192: s Sheets-sheaf, :5

1 25 tion of an enlarged scale,

see. 16,1926..-

s'rA'rss Lek-9 5-UPE3HEATED-STEAH THROTTLE VALVE.

Application Med April 25,

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED W. Bacon, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and use- I E111 Improvement in Superheatedfiteam Throttle Valves, ohwhich improvement the following is a specification.

My invention, while relating more particularly to throttle valves for superheated steam locomotive boilers, is'not limited to such specific application, and its object is to rovide a throttle valve which shall be desirably applicable in connection with standard appliances for superheating steam, 1 and which shall have its receiving and delivering pipes entirely' enclosed inthe shell of the boiler in which it is installed. The improvement claimed is hereinafter I fully set forth; 2% In the accompanyi ng drawings: Figure 1 is a view, partly 1n side elevation and partly in. section, on the line- 1-1 of Fig. 4c, of a locomotive boiler, illustrating an application of my invention; Fig. 2, a horizontal secof the connection between the stand pipe. and dry pipe; Fig. I 3, a plan or top view 0 forward-portion of the waist of the boiler; Fig. 4, a vertical transverse section through the smoke bo'x, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a similar section, on an enlarged scale, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; 6, a similar section, on the line 4-4 of ig. 1; Fig, 7, a plan view of the main throttle a partial bottom view,

valve; and, Fig. 8,

' on an enlarged scale of the mam throttle em in section.

valve, with the valve st In the practice of my invention, referring descriptively 'to the specific embodiment thereof which is herein exemplified, I-prochest, 1, in which'the vide a throttle box or main throttle valve, 3, is fitted, said throttle sheet metal casing,

box being supported in a 2, of rectangular horizontal section, and having a flat or substantially flattened top, which casing is secured to the smoke box, 9, of a steam boiler of the locomotive type and closes a correspondingly shaped opening, in the. top thereof. It will be noted that the casing fl'forms part of the shell of the" smoke box 9, and is substituted for the 0ro nary circular are upper portion thereof, n order to present rectangular side spaces which permit the elevation of the throttle i301; and its connections, above the highest f the smoke box and rality of S11 1923. Serial an. ceased.

horizontal level which would otherwise be box. The stack, 11, of the boiler, passes box, 1', is located in the casing, between plate of the casing by bolts, 2*, passing stand pipe, 12, extending upwardl in 2.

nor, as by hook bolts, 14, to the rear end of bolted to the shell of the boiler. The forheater header, 16, of any suitable known conperheater units, 16,, lodated in header, 16, is connected, by two pipes, 16",

By reason of the stack being located between connecting pipes, 16", as shown, is, for

The relative disposition of the throttle standpoint, in several particulars. It adance between the front tube sheet and the" 10 ften so limited as to prevent such appliconnecti n between the superheater header 1c existing. locomotives, equipped with a conavailable, with a I correspondin reduction of the degree of obstruction o the smoke through the casing, 2, which is connected to a flange, 11, on the stack, and the throttle the front thereof and the stack, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and is connected to. the top through a flange, 1", at its top, utting against said top plate. I V Paturated steam 1S supplied 'from the steam space of the boiler to an open topped dome, 13, on the waist, 10, of the boi er, and connected, at its bottom, in theusual mana steam supply pipe or dry pipe, 15. The stand pipe 15 supported on" hangers, 12,

ward end of the. dry pipe is connected to the saturated steam compartment of a superstruction, which is, as u'su'al, located in the 30 smoke box, 9,, and is provided, with a pluiboiler tubes, 10, of enlarged diameter. The superheated steam compartment of the leading forwardly on .OPOSllJG'SldGS of the stack with nozzles, 1 on the throttle box, 1.

the superheater header and the throttle box, the application of two laterally disposed structural reasons, preferable to thatof a single pipe.

box, stack, superheater header and side steam pipes, 1s of importance, from a practical mits of the application of smoke box throt tles, without imitation by the existing disstack, which distance, especially in the case of locomotives with two wheel leading trucks,

is o cation. It further provides a symmetrical and the throttle box and, as a special feature of advantage is adapted to application on ventional type of superhcater headerhaving steam'outlcts on opposite sides, which ad- 13 when desired, as foriregrinding or other repairs, a supplemental throttle valvigf 17, is fitted in the stand pipe, 12, and controls communication between the steam space of the boiler. and the stand pipe and its connections. The sup )lemental throttle valve is manually operabe by a hand wheel, 17*, secured on a stem, 17", passing through a stuihng boa, 17, in the dome, and coupled to the threaded stem, 17, of the valve, which stem engages an internal thread on a plate,

T17", secured, dctachably, to the stand pipe.

The throttle box, i, is open, at bottom, to two laterally extending nozzles, l", "which are connected to the steam supply pipes, 18,

leading tothe cylinders of the locomotive,

" and .fiommunication between the superheated steam compartment of theheader, 16, and the steam supply pipes, 18, is normally and directly'controlled by a main throttle valve, 3, which may be of any suit able and preferred construction that is operable from the outside of the boiler. The main throttle valve which is herein exemplltied, accords, in all essential particulars,

with that set forth in an application for Letters Patent of the United States, filed by me March 28, 1923, Serial No. 628,258. It is not, therefore, claimed as of my present invention, and will be only generally herein described.

AS shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the main throttlevvalve, 3, is of the single seated lift or poppet type, and is connected, with the capacity of a limited degree ot' 'relative movement, to astem, 5, by the longitudinal movement of which it is brought against, or moved away from, an inclined seat, 1, in the throttle box, to prevent the admission of, or admit, as the case may be, superheated steam from the header to the steam supply pipes, 18. A balancing sleeve, 3, which is open, at its ,end .iurrher from the valve, is formed integral .thcrewith and extends therefrom into a superimposed bal ancing chamber, 4, in the upper portion of the throttle box. The balancing chamber is closed by a removable cap plate, at, having a properly packed stuffing bov, 4, through which the valve stem passes.- A small port, 3, formed in the wall of the balancing sleeve, provides for the leakage of stcaminto the balancing chamber. A central passage, 3, surrounding the valve stem, and oi greater diameter than said stem, is norn'ially closed by a pilot valve, 8, fixed on the valve stem. Said stem carries, adjacent to its lower end, a washer,

arrears 52th position of which is adjustable by a nut,' "5 engaging a screw thread on -,the stem. The metal of the valve whichsurrounds the bottom or the central passage, 3",

is radially recessed or channeled by grooves, 3, to permit the free flow. of steam from the passage, 3, when the asher, 5 bears against the ,bottom or the throttle valve.

in bieralzionf-the throttle yalve, being hormaly seated, it i"s subjected to downward pressureand held to its'iseat by the boiler steam in -the balancing chamber. \Vhcn it-is desired to admit steam to the supply pipes, the preliminary upward movement of the valve stem by the actuating mechanism, unseats the pilot valve, and brings the washer, 5 to a bearing against the bottom of the throttle valve. The steam in the balancing chamber is then exhausted therefrom into the supply pipes, and the throttle valve is relieved from the down ward pressure which held it to its seat. By the continued upward movement of the valve stem, the'throttle valve may be unscated to any desired degree. There being a continuous relief of pressure in the balancing chamber, during the period that the throttle valve is unseated, no resistance is opposed-to its upward movement.

The throttle valve is seated by the down ward movement or the stem, 5, in bringing the pilot valve, 8, to its seat, and, after being seated, is held to its seat by the leakage of steam into the balancing chamber.

Thestem, 5, passes through a stuffing box, 49, in the cover, of the balancing inc chamber, and a jaw, 6, is fixed upon its' outer end, for connection to any suitable actuating" mechanism, which does. not form 7 part of my presentinvention. In the instance exemplified, a manually operable lever, 19, is connected to the valve stem, through the intermediation of a pull rod, 21;" compensating lever, 22, and rod, 22 as in the patent of J. J. Jones, No. 1,229,968, dated June 12, 1917.

' My invention attains, in practice, by the application of improved structural features, the well recognized advantage of the interposition of a throttle valve between a source of supcrheatedsteam supply and the engine or engines in which the superheated steam is to be utilized, which interposition is not broadly new and, therefore, is not claimed as of my invention. It isalso sub,-

stantially advantageous in the particular that the throttle box and its connections are completely enclosed within the shell of.

of the smoke box, with a minimum or, expansion of the volume thereof, and that their location therein is such as avoids im--.-

pairmcnt of the draught, or interference with the application of standardsparkarresting appliances, and presents capability of application in existing locomotives which is not existent in prior'constructions, so far as my knowledge and information extend.

I claim as my invention and desire to sesecure by Letters Patent:

1. In a boiler of the locomotive t pe, the

combination of a casing, leaving a attened top and closin an opening in the top of the smoke box 0 the boiler; 21 superheater header in thesmoke box; and a throttle valve, located in and supported on the 0215- ing, between the stack and the front thereof,':md controlling communication between thesuperhcater and the steam supply pipes in the smoke box.

2. In a boiler of the locomotive type, the

' combination of a casing, having a flattened top and closing an opening in the top of the smoke box of thenboiler; a superheaten header in the smoke box; a throttle box, located in and supported on the casing, between the st-ack and the front thereof; upper lateral connections, leadin from the superheater header to the thrott e box; steam sup top of the smoke box, and surroun ing the steam connections leadin heater header into said t irottle box; steam ipe, leading into said stack of the boiler; a throttle box, located in I and supported on said casin between the stack and the front thereo su erheated from t e: supersupply pipes, leading out of said throttle box; and a throttle valve, 'fitted in saidthrottie box, and controlling communication between the superheated steam connection and thesteam supply pipes.

4. In a boiler of the locomotive type, the combination of acasing, secured to and closing the to of an opening in the smoke box of the boi er; a throttle box located in said casing and having a .top flange secured thereto; lateral connections leading to a superheater header; and lower side nozzles, leading to steam supply pipes; and a throttle valve, fitted in said throttle box and controlling communication between the superheater header and. steam supply pipe connections.

5. In a boiler of the locomotive type, the combination with the smoke box thereof, of a stack; a superheater header in the smoke box located in rear of the stack and having side steam outlets; a throttle box in the smoke box interposed between the front thereof and the stack; side steam supply pipes leading'therefrom; side pipes connectthe steam outlets of. the superheater' header with the throttle box and a throttle valve fitted in the throttle box and controlling communication between said box and the side steam supply pipes.

' v ALFRED W. BRUCE. 

